From January 1 to December 31, 1999, the Pentagon reported to Congress $20.78 billion in proposed government-to-government conventional arms transfer agreements with nineteen countries. Proposed sales of advanced fighters to Egypt, Greece, Israel, Norway and South Korea, as well as a possible $4.2 billion sale of 14 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile systems to Seoul, resulted in a substantial increase in the value of proposed sales from 1998, which totaled $12.1 billion. While the Middle East topped all regions in 1998 with sixty percent of proposed arms deals, it ranked third in 1999 behind Europe and Asia-Pacific. Seven European countries, led by Greece, sought arms worth nearly $7.8 billion. South Korea accounted for more than $5.4 billion of the Asia-Pacific region’s $7.49 billion in possible arms buys. Israel and Egypt requested more than 96 percent of the Middle East’s $5.2 billion total.

Under the 1976 Arms Export Control Act, Congress must be notified of any proposed sale of "major defense equipment," as defined on the U.S. Munitions List, that equals or exceeds $14 million; defense articles and services that are not defined as "major defense equipment" that total $50 million or more; and construction or design services amounting to or surpassing $200 million.1 Once notified, Congress has thirty calendar days (fifteen in the case of NATO members, Australia, Japan and New Zealand) to block a sale by passing a joint resolution of disapproval. The United States conducts government-to-government transfers through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Not all notified sales result in final transactions.

Modification/upgrade of five AN/TPS-59(V)2 radar systems to the AN/TPS-59(V)3 configuration.

The Arms Control Association maintains a register of all U.S. FMS sales notified to Congress by the Pentagon since January 1990. The register does not necessarily reflect finalized transactions, and therefore is most useful in demonstrating trends in the types of weapon systems the United States is willing to sell, to whom it will sell, and the values involved.

NOTE:

1. Commercial sales of "major defense equipment" that amount to $14 million or more, defense articles and services that equal or exceed $50 million and any items defined as "significant military equipment." As in the case of FMS sales, Congress can block the sale with a joint resolution of disapproval. [Back to text]

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